Tim Finn and Neil Finn solo

TIM FINN

Around the time of the Split Enz album "Conflicting Emotions", Tim Finn embarked on his solo career with the 1983 album "Escapade", which achieved great success on both sides of the Tasman. This is the first single from the album, the New Zealand issue. The Australian issue was basically the same, just with a different label and catalogue number.

The Dutch version with a slightly different cover. Other European countries released this single with slight variations in graphics and lettering.

The Australian single was released on the standard Mushroom label, and the New Zealand version was also on Mushroom, but with a different look. "Fraction" was also released in North America without picture cover.

Canadian issue with B side "Staring at the embers".

The second single in Australia and New Zealand.

The North Americans also had this as their second single, but once again, no picture cover was issued.

The third single for Australasia only. This is the Australian cover.

The special New Zealand cover, which has the same cover both front and back.

"Through the years/Grand adventure". The next single, which was released in a picture cover only in Holland (the second single after "Fraction"). Also released in Canada and Australasia without picture cover unfortunately.

Canadian release. B side "Grand Adventure" from the album.

New Zealand issue.

Australian issue with standard Mushroom label.

"In a minor key" was the final single released from the "Escapade" album. It was only released in Holland and Australia. The Dutch brought out a 7 inch single in two formats (a standard single and a special double 7 inch in a gatefold cover), plus a 12 inch single version.

The back cover of the double 7 inch format.

The back of the one disc 7 inch version, which had the same front cover.

Tim Finn recordings in Europe were released on the Epic label.

Australian release.

There was one other strange little release from Canada. The A side is "Not for nothing", a fairly nondescript song from "Escapade". The B side is "Fraction too much friction". Should these tracks be on the opposite sides of the disc? There doesn't seem to be any evidence that "Not for nothing" was ever released as a single in Canada, especially given the fact that "Fraction" had already been released as a single in Canada (refer above). A bit mysterious! 

So the success of the "Escapade" album finally ran its course, and it was time for Tim to produce the all important follow up. The result was very different, and left fans and the music industry somewhat ambivalent...


Oh yes, between albums came this lovely little single from the soundtrack to the 1985 Australian movie "The Coca-Cola kid". Released only in Australia and only as a 7 inch single

"Big Canoe" was the next full album, and it was characterised by a 'bigger' sound and more complex musical arrangements. It was arguably a more serious album, with an English playwrite coming in to co-write many of the lyrics. In short, it was as different from "Escapade" as you could possibly get...

The first single from the album, front and back covers. Released in Australasia and Europe only. Released as a 7 inch and 12 inch single with extended mix

The second single for the UK only. Released as a 7 inch and 12 inch single with extended mix

The second single for Australasia and Europe. Once again, released in 7 and 12 inch formats

That was it for singles from this particular album, and the album recieved scant interest in North America.

 

Promotional store poster for the album

 

Tim then embarked on some more movie soundtrack work, and his solo career as such took a bit of a break while he explored other songwriting avenues. Some interesting little singles emerged during this time however...

1987. Tim's music featured in the soundtrack for the Australian movie "Les Patterson saves the world", which featured the one and only Barry Humphries. This is the first single, released only as a 7 inch. The album was called "The Les Patterson Long Player" and is quite difficult to obtain these days

The second single from the movie soundtrack, and a much more up-tempo number, so much so that this was released as a 7 inch and 12 inch extended version

1989 and it was time to get his solo career back on to the world stage...


The next album indicated a fresh new start of sorts, in the fact that the record was self titled, and he was back in charge of all songwriting duties. The hit singles were big, bold and catchy, without being over-produced or inflated.

 

 

Front and back cover

 

 

Inner sleeve front and back

 

 

Australian CD

The first and biggest single from the album, which was released in most major territories around the world. It got plenty of airplay and re-established Tim as a songwriting force after the relative disappointment of the album "Big Canoe". It was released in all formats; as a 7 inch, 12 inch, and very first Tim Finn CD single and cassette single

The second single, rather oddly released only as a 7 inch and cassette single, and only in North America and Australasia. The USA cassette single has a similar cover, with slightly different words and graphics 

 

The next single, released as a 7 inch and CD single only

The final single from the album, released only in New Zealand and only as a 7 inch. Well know Kiwi band Herbs provided the backing vocals

The end of vinyl releases was on the horizon, and Compact Discs were about to completely take over. There was time for one last Tim Finn vinyl single, and it was a collaboration with his original songwriting buddy from the origins of Split Enz... (actually, rather surprisingly, England ended up pressing one more Tim single)


1990. A song taken from the soundtrack to the Australian movie "The big steal". Released only in Australasia and only in 7 inch and cassette single formats



 

A cassette single only release featuring Tim Finn from 1992

 

 

 

 

 

"Before and After" was the title of the next album, released in 1993.

 

The first single was "Persuasion". Below is the Australian CD single front and back, which was released in fold-out digipack format 

 

 

 

 

The Dutch issue, which was housed in a cardboard slipcase, with same images as the Australian release

 

 

The UK release was issued as a 2 CD set, as was the fashion around that time.

 

 

  

"Many's the time" was the 3rd single taken from the album, and only released in Australasia

 

 

 

Promotional store poster for the album

 

1994. Special "Runs in the family" CD single, written by Tim for the New Zealand cricket centennary celebrations

 

 

1998. Special CD single taken from the movie soundtrack of the same name

 

 

1999. A new solo album "Say it is so" and the only physical single released, "Twinkle", a CD single only released in Europe

 

 

 

 

 

2001. The new solo album "Feeding the Gods". The only physical single taken from the album was a CD single titled "What you've done". It was released only in Australia and New Zealand (in slightly different formats) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Imaginary Kingdom" (2006) was the next album, released on CD only

 

 

 

There was one physical CD single released "Couldn't be done"

 

 

 

There was also an unofficial 'promotional' single "Horizon"

 

"The Conversation" (2008) was the next album, but unfortunately the practise of releasing physical singles was dying out, and being replaced by somewhat insipid 'digital only' singles, or just promotional 1 track singles

 

There was an attractive 2 disc anthology titled "North South East West" released in 2009

 

The final album offering to date from Tim, was "The view is worth the climb", released in 2011

 

NEIL FINN

 

Following the grand farewell concert for Crowded House on the steps of the Sydney Opera House, Neil embarked on a 2 album solo career

 

The first album was titled "Try Whistling This" and was released in a single CD and 2CD version

 

Limited edition 2CD version 2nd bonus disc which featured 6 extra tracks

 

 

The first single from the album was "She will have her way", released in the UK as a 2 CD set

 

Front cover and promotional insert for CD1

Back cover

Inside cover and disc

Front cover CD2

 

This singles was also released in Europe and Australasia as a single CD

 

Second single from the album was "Sinner"

 

 Australian front cover

  

UK CD1 

 

UK CD2

 

CD insert

 

 

Sinner promotional postcard (larger 21 X 15 cm's)

 

Third and final single

 

Australian issue

 UK digipak (NOT a 2 part single this time)

 

 

Promotional insert

 

 

Last One Standing promotional postcard (larger 21 X 15 cm's)

 

A couple of tour T shirts 

 

 

And some posters from around that time

 

 

 

 

 

Try Whistling This promotional postcard (larger 21 X 15 cm's)

 

And the coolest of all...

 

This promotional, fan club only 1999 Neil Finn calendar! (21 X 15 cm's)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Between albums (1999), there were a couple of interesting releases from Neil

 

As support for the 1999 All Blacks world cup bid, this CD single

 

 

 

And in support for the work of Fred Hollows

 

 

Oh, and this little ditty is out of place, being released in 1994, but it's a good a place as any for it to go. A nice little CD single collaboration with Aboriginal musicians Yothu Yindi

 

 

 

The 2nd album was titled "One Nil" (or "One all" for the American market)

 

Images are Australian issue then the USA issue

 

Front cover

Back cover

Inner fold out digipak cover

\

 

USA front cover

USA back cover

 

 

One Nil promotional postcard (15 X 10 cm's)

 

First single was "Rest of the day off" which came in a nice digipak cover and was only released in Australia and NZ

 

 

The following three singles were then taken from the album, and released officially only in the UK, although some copies found their way to Australasia. All were the usual (for UK) 2 part releases 

 

Last to know CD1 front and back 

 

 

 

Last to know CD2 (jewelcase)

 

Wherever you are CD1 front and back 

 

 

 Wherever you are CD2 front and back

 

 

Hole in the ice CD1 front and back 

 

 

 

Hole in the ice CD2 (jewelcase) 

 

 

 Although officially, his solo career had ended, Neil of course remained busy with side projects and the reunited and reformed Crowded House.

 

So more wonderful images to come...

 

The "7 worlds collide" project and "Pajama Club",

 

not to mention some of the best songs yet, under the "Finn Brothers" entity...  

 

FINN BROTHERS

 

The debut album, simply called "Finn"

Back cover (because you've seen the front hundreds of times on Ebay)

 

Promotional poster

 Promotional postcard

 

First single was "Suffer Never", which was released in the UK as a 2 part CD single once again

CD 1

 

CD 2

 

 

 

Suffer Never promotional postcard (15 X 10 cm's)

 

Second single "Angel's Heap", once again released in the UK as a 2 part CD single

CD 1 

 

 

CD 2

A third single was released, but it was a fanclub only release

 

 

 

"Everyone is here" was the second album, which was released in Europe, USA and Australasia

 

 

 

 

Three singles were taken from the album, all singles were released in UK and parts of Europe, as well as New Zealand and Australia. There were small variations in packaging (standard CD case, jewelcase) and graphics within countries, but all three followed a similar black and white theme 

 

Very large promotional store poster

 

Australian release (jewelcase) 

 

UK release (standard CD case) 

 

 

European release (jewelcase) 

 

7 WORLDS COLLIDE

 

The first "7 Worlds Collide" project (2001), a concert recorded live at Auckland's St.James theatre, featured experienced musicians Johnny Marr, Eddie Vedder, Ed O'Brien, Phil Selway and Lisa Germano. The performance produced a CD album and DVD

 

 

 

 

 

7 Worlds Collide promotional postcard (15 X 10 cm's)

 

  

 Promotional T shirt

 

 The second offering was titled "The sun came out" and featured a whole new line up of talent (plus most musicians from the first concert). Besides the standard CD, it was also released in a very cool gatefold sleeve double vinyl version

 

Front cover

Back cover

Gatefold inner

Vinyl inner sleeves front

Vinyl inner sleeves back

Side 1 

Side 2 

Side 3 

 Side 4